How do you feel that most US Marines can't run a 5k in under 20 minutes?

david45 wrote:

People here think running is easy and that a 20 minute 5k is easy. Yet, most Marines can run a 5k in under 20 minutes. How do you feel about that?

I live at Memorial Park here in Houston and they will show up on occasion to time a 3-mile loop. Maybe 50 people run. The first one might be close to 20 minutes if not slower and the rest are much slower. Embarrassing.

Sally Vix wrote:

david45 wrote:

People here think running is easy and that a 20 minute 5k is easy. Yet, most Marines can run a 5k in under 20 minutes. How do you feel about that?

I live at Memorial Park here in Houston and they will show up on occasion to time a 3-mile loop. Maybe 50 people run. The first one might be close to 20 minutes if not slower and the rest are much slower. Embarrassing.

Haha STFU you don’t live at the park and if you live in the neighborhood that’s near the park you’d be looking through the softball fields to see the loop, or do you go over to the loop to time them yourself? You don’t have a clue what they run.

And OP, you’re surprised that a group of mostly non-runners aren’t knocking out 6:30 miles in succession? Shocker right. Someone explain what a 5k time has to do with military anyhow. You expect our troops to run from someone or something?

Sally Vix wrote:

david45 wrote:

People here think running is easy and that a 20 minute 5k is easy. Yet, most Marines can run a 5k in under 20 minutes. How do you feel about that?

I live at Memorial Park here in Houston and they will show up on occasion to time a 3-mile loop. Maybe 50 people run. The first one might be close to 20 minutes if not slower and the rest are much slower. Embarrassing.

It just shows how rare running talent is

A 20-minute 5k is not easy. That said, it’s really not important, from a combat sense, to be able to run a fast 5k. Is running a 16:00 5k going to help you haul around a SAW or wear body armor all day? Not likely.

Ok we understand you are mad you aren't fast, but you don't have to keep telling everyone you aren't fast and that talent is rare. just run and have fun, stop trolling. Also, these marines endure more than you know, not just with running but with upper body workouts too.

I think it's far more important that they be able to shoot straight. On the flip side, I don't really care how straight a 14:00 5k runner can shoot.

Most Marines are not Recon and thus do not need to have that kind of stamina...

david45 wrote:

People here think running is easy and that a 20 minute 5k is easy. Yet, most Marines can run a 5k in under 20 minutes. How do you feel about that?

Also, have you ever served in the military? If you did you'd know that there isn't much time to do a high quality training program given the number of hours service people work. Most work 12 hour shifts and there is a required morning PT that is done as a group and not solo.

Lastly, a number of Marine units are aboard Navy ships, particularly amphibs, for half the year. You aren't going to get high quality running training on a treadmill especially when that treadmill has to be shared among several other servicemembers.

Hourunner wrote:

Sally Vix wrote:

I live at Memorial Park here in Houston and they will show up on occasion to time a 3-mile loop. Maybe 50 people run. The first one might be close to 20 minutes if not slower and the rest are much slower. Embarrassing.

Haha STFU you don’t live at the park and if you live in the neighborhood that’s near the park you’d be looking through the softball fields to see the loop, or do you go over to the loop to time them yourself? You don’t have a clue what they run.

And OP, you’re surprised that a group of mostly non-runners aren’t knocking out 6:30 miles in succession? Shocker right. Someone explain what a 5k time has to do with military anyhow. You expect our troops to run from someone or something?

Someone's got their panties in a knot.

david45 wrote:

People here think running is easy and that a 20 minute 5k is easy. Yet, most Marines can run a 5k in under 20 minutes. How do you feel about that?

A buddy of mine who went to Parris Island scored a 300 on the PFT and won the Iron Man award while he was there..he's in his mid 30's now and cannot break 20. But big deal, he served two tours of duty in Iraq and a number of other things have reduced his ability from when he was a fresh recruit.

You'll see a number of recruits going under 18 minutes at recruit training but over time, military obligations, family, etc can make you a shell of the runner you were at 18.

M friend is still in a great position since he's an E-9 and will retire in a few years at the highest enlisted rank. Well, not THE highest enlisted ranking member since among E-9's, there are senior ranks. Only one enlisted member holds the highest of the E-9 positions.

bartholomew_maxwell wrote:

Lastly, a number of Marine units are aboard Navy ships, particularly amphibs, for half the year. You aren't going to get high quality running training on a treadmill especially when that treadmill has to be shared among several other servicemembers.

But that's the point the OP was surely making. It requires a lot of specific training even for fit, young men.

david45 wrote:

People here think running is easy and that a 20 minute 5k is easy. Yet, most Marines can run a 5k in under 20 minutes. How do you feel about that?

*can't

Yeah but it sounds like he is trying to belittle them for being Marines unable to break 20.

bartholomew_maxwell wrote:

david45 wrote:

People here think running is easy and that a 20 minute 5k is easy. Yet, most Marines can run a 5k in under 20 minutes. How do you feel about that?

Also, have you ever served in the military? If you did you'd know that there isn't much time to do a high quality training program given the number of hours service people work. Most work 12 hour shifts and there is a required morning PT that is done as a group and not solo.

Sorry for being so ignorant

That's true of all branches. Even within SOF most aren't running 6 min/miles, but you'll see most all under 7. You're not taking into account that grunts can also ruck with heavy packs, armor, do a respectable should of pull ups, push ups, etc.

If all they cared about was running then you'd see far more running under 20 min. Their general athleticism is way different than yours. How do you feel about that?

Coevett wrote:

bartholomew_maxwell wrote:

Lastly, a number of Marine units are aboard Navy ships, particularly amphibs, for half the year. You aren't going to get high quality running training on a treadmill especially when that treadmill has to be shared among several other servicemembers.

But that's the point the OP was surely making. It requires a lot of specific training even for fit, young men.

I think the specificity is more a factor of age. I know of soccer players at my high school who had no problem getting under 20 when the only running they were doing was XC to get conditioned for soccer, and then soccer training, roughly only half a year or less of any semblance of structured running. There was no specific training on my team. We'd just run maybe 15 to20 miles a week. Not a strong XC program by any means but the talented guys had no problem getting under 20 by endurance alone.

Especially easy when you're as light as you are in high school. I'd say the guys who were natually breaking 20 with ease were all under 5'9 and under 140 lbs.

david45 wrote:

People here think running is easy and that a 20 minute 5k is easy. Yet, most Marines can run a 5k in under 20 minutes. How do you feel about that?

That Marines find running as easy as I do?

I would hope Marines were all sub 20 guys. They are supposed to get to action quickly, not hobbyjog to a conflict.

How do I feel wrote:

david45 wrote:

People here think running is easy and that a 20 minute 5k is easy. Yet, most Marines can run a 5k in under 20 minutes. How do you feel about that?

That Marines find running as easy as I do?

I would hope Marines were all sub 20 guys. They are supposed to get to action quickly, not hobbyjog to a conflict.

Actually, the rank and file Marines are not the idyllic Marines that you think of. The RECON Marines, however, ARE. All of them are most definitely sub 20 guys given that you have to be among the top in PFT tests just to get picked for the RECON training program.

I think the average PFT for a recon marine is 280, near perfect. Meaning they likely maxed out on 2 of the 3 tests. You need 18 to max out on the run.